


Branded

by EarendilElwing



Series: Almost Confessions [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Minor Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 01:36:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3469562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarendilElwing/pseuds/EarendilElwing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lissa often doubts herself and her role in the Shepherds. Can a certain thief help her find her sweet spot and maybe steal her heart in the process?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> References to classes work like this in my stories: A capitalized name (such as Assassin or Trickster) means that it is the character's current class status unless other grammar rules apply. A lowercase reference (such as thief or tactician) simply refers to the character's base classification.
> 
> Pairing: Lissa x Gaius

It was a beautiful, cool morning in the country of Ylisse.  The sights and sounds normally associated with a quiet sunrise, birds chirping, a soft breeze, and a pale pink dawn went unnoticed, thanks to the flurry of activity that comprised the Shepherd’s morning routines.  Soldiers were up for a quick workout, those on kitchen duty were busying themselves with breakfast preparations, and the more high born of the lot were primping away at their appearances.

And poor Lissa, youngest princess of the realm, was doing her best to drown out the noise with her pillow.  She was failing quite miserably, and ultimately gave up on the attempt when a deep voice called to her from outside her quarters.

“Milady, are you awake?”

She groaned loudly and tossed aside her pillow and blanket in annoyance.  “Yes, Frederick, I’m up!” she replied as she hurried to get dressed.

“Good.  As it is an even-numbered day and I have no pending duties for the time being, I’ve scheduled multiple training sessions for us throughout the course of the morning.”

Lissa paused from tying up her blond hair in its customary pigtails.  “Multiple?  I didn’t agree to that!” she protested.  She scowled at her reflection’s blood-shot eyes and weary countenance in the miniature mirror she kept with her belongings.  It wouldn’t do to reveal her continued grief and recent insomnia to her comrades, so she took this brief opportunity to make angry faces at her image to get it out of her system.  Feeling better and reminding herself that it was a beautiful day, she completed her hasty preparations and grabbed her supplies.

An amused chuckle drifted through the barrier.  “Perhaps not, but I assure you, it is both beneficial and necessary.”  He stepped back from the entrance to the tent when she emerged with a Thunder tome in one hand and a healing staff in the other.  A small pouch containing vials of various tonics and medicinal potions dangled at her hip and clinked musically when she moved.

“Psh, fine!”  A wicked grin crossed her face.  “But that means we’re going to be EXTRA lazy tomorrow.”

A definite look of horror came over the Great Knight’s face.  “As you wish, milady,” he mumbled through gritted teeth and a loud sigh.

“Good.  Shall we then?”

Lissa may not have been the most motivated of warriors when it came to practicing initially, even when she requested it, but she still felt that she had come a long way.  It wasn’t as if she truly hated it either; she merely didn’t want to put forth full effort until she fully understood the value of the undertaking.  Once she did, she could be as hard working as any other, even more so if she was getting something in return.  In this case, in addition to the obvious boost of strength and confidence, she also received companionship and entertainment from the discomfort of her stoic guardian.

The sprightly girl followed her tall instructor a short distance away from the Shepherd’s encampment to an open space dedicated as a temporary training ground.  Stahl and Kellam were stationed at the far end near the woods and a few other lower ranked Knights and Cavaliers guarded the other borders.  Lissa smiled and greeted everyone by name as they passed.

“Good morning, Bard, Falas!  Hi, Brock!  Hey-a Stahl!  I see you too, Kellam!  Good morning!” Her cheery personality was infectious and even the crankiest of the soldiers visibly lightened up when they saw her.

“Forgive me, milady, but we should begin.  It is, after all, our agreed-upon training day,” Frederick interrupted.  His voice was stern, but he could not fully disguise his own joy and pride at serving such a kind-hearted princess.

“Alright, alright.  No need to get your smallclothes in a twist.  Where do we start?”  Lissa asked, ceasing her deliberate delays and granting the man her full attention.

The dignified soldier cleared his throat to disguise his embarrassment at her mention of his smallclothes.  “We’ll start with a light warm-up, followed by strength-training drills for at least sixty minutes.  After that, we’ll work on improving your long-distance accuracy with your tome utilizing those targets on the far end over there.  This should grant you some experience as a recently converted Valkyrie.  Then we shall spar for no less than thirty minutes, and if there’s sufficient time remaining, we will run laps around the field to build your endurance.”

She  saluted her commander with a hearty “Yes, Sir!”, though internally she was suppressing dread at the prospect of so much physical exertion.

“Good.  You may set aside your equipment for the time being.”  He waited patiently while she ran over the Stahl and asked him if he would hang on to her belongings.  When she returned, Frederick beat down the instinct to treat her like a delicate flower and reverted to drill sergeant mode.  “Ready?  Let’s go!”

* * *

Over two hours later, Lissa was soaked in sweat, gasping for air, and internally screaming with every muscle fiber in her body.  Frederick had decided that they did, in fact, have enough time for endurance training, and ordered her to run fifty laps around the clearing.

Her only consolation was that just as she’d finished her first few circles, Gaius had joined her, per orders from Sully.  The female Cavalier had taken it upon herself to whip the “reformed” crook into fighting shape and decided that the same amount of laps were the perfect warm-up for him.

“Ten more to go! Come on, move it!” Frederick shouted at them both.  He was jogging backwards a few feet ahead of them, observing their progress.  

“I *pant* really *pant* hate you *pant*, Frederick!” Lissa managed between gasps of air.

“You *huff* and me *huff* both!” Gaius mumbled.

Sully frowned at the bandit heartlessly as she sprinted past them.  “What’s that, maggot?  You got something to say?!”

Once she was out of earshot again, Gaius moved a little closer to the female royal next to him.  “Yo, Princess.  *huff* If that *wheeze* crazy woman *gasp* kills me, *gasp* will you *gasp* see to it *gasp* that I’m immortalized *pant* in pastry *wheeze* form?”

Lissa slowed her pace to catch her breath a little before responding with a grin.  “Only if *huff* I can have your *huff* secret stash.”  Her mood had improved considerably since he’d come along.

Gaius clearly loathed the idea of any besides him accessing his legendary confections, but agreed nonetheless.  “Done.”

“Less talking, more running!” Sully commanded, overtaking them again.

The younger girl increased her speed once more.  “Come on, Gaius.  *huff, pant* We’re almost there.  We can do this!”

“Easy for you *pant* to say.  *huff*  You’re just about *huff* done.  My hell’s *pant* just getting *pant* started.”

“Finish strong, milady!” Frederick called, now waiting near the training entrance and “finish line”.

“Pick up the pace, maggot!”

Lissa glanced over at her running partner.  “Race you to the end?”  She took off at an impressive rate without giving him a chance to reply.

Gaius closed the distance quickly in a rare show of determination.  The pair sprinted towards their waiting trainers, who were cheering them on, albeit with vastly different approaches.

“Almost there!  Come on, milady!”

“Move those little chicken legs, Gaius!”

Both of them gave it their all and completed the circuit together.  They narrowly missed colliding into their commanders and fell to their knees, utterly spent and breathing hard.

“Well done, milady! A vast improvement from last week!” Frederick complimented, returning to his reassuring guardian role.  

“Thanks!” Lissa mumbled, glowing with pride (and sweat) in spite of her fatigue.

“Not bad, but we’ve still got a hell of a lot of work to do, Thief!” Sully said while giving him a friendly punch in the arm.

Gaius was unbalanced and unprepared for such a gesture of camaraderie, so the playful hit knocked him to the ground.  He rolled onto his back and lay there unmoving, limbs spread-eagled and still panting as though on the verge of hyperventilating.  Lissa and Frederick quickly leaned over him, fretting over his condition while Sully stood back and just rolled her eyes.

“Gaius?  Are you okay?” Lissa asked.  When he didn’t answer, she waved to the two soldiers standing on guard by the woods.  “Stahl!  Bring my staff and pouch!”

The green-armored Cavalier rushed over, leaving the soft spoken Kellam to momentarily watch both their posts.  He handed the young healer the requested items and returned to his station reluctantly, curiosity and concern evident on his handsome face.

The noblewoman kneeled beside her companion and was just about to activate the wooden staff’s therapeutic properties, when the tired outlaw finally opened his eyes and waved away the glowing wand in his face.

“I’m alright; I’m alright.  I was just having a hard time catching my breath, that’s all.  I don’t need any spells.”

Lissa retracted her hands.  “Are you sure?  You’re  not hurt or sick?”

Sully walked over and glared down at him.  “He’s fine.  He’s just weak.”

Gaius glowered back.  “And you’re insane.”  He started patting down his various shirt and leather armor compartments in search of something.  A brief glimpse of panic flashed in his eyes and he sat up, continuing the hunt in his trouser pockets.  He eventually calmed when he located the object of his quest in what the others could only assume was a hidden pouch within the folds of the cloak around his neck.

Lissa giggled at the predictability of her candy-crazed friend when he produced a chocolate-covered sugar pop and shoved it in his mouth with the same gusto as a man who hadn’t eaten anything in some time.  He immediately relaxed and hummed in contentment.

“Alright, break’s over.”  Sully grabbed her prey with one hand by the back of his shirt collar and hauled him to his feet.  “I want 200 squats and I want ‘em now!  Let’s go!   Let’s go!”

Gaius hesitantly complied, interlacing his fingers behind his head and positioning his feet a hips-width apart.  The rider deliberately began to circle him like a hawk, counting his repetitions aloud for him so that he could concentrate on his form.  As soon as she was behind him and unable to see his face, he looked at the Great Knight and newly advanced Valkyrie pleadingly.  “Help me!” he mouthed.

Lissa shook her head.  “Sorry, but I did my time, so you’re on your own.”

Frederick put a hand on her shoulder and smiled in an almost sadistic sort of way.  “Fear not, Gaius.  Milady has survived the very same exercises this morning and I am certain that you will as well.  After all, Sully learned all of her training techniques from me.”

“Great.  Now I know who to blame for this torture.”

“9… 10… I’d save my breath if I were you, maggot!  You’ve got 500 sit-ups after this!  11… 12…”

The lively blonde smiled kindly.  “You can do it, Gaius!” she cheered enthusiastically.  Then she leaned in towards her fellow sweets lover.  “I’ll sneak an extra bilberry tart for you to eat if you survive.”

This proposition sounded like a worthy goal to the sugar addict, and he increased the speed and fluidity of his movements eagerly, determined to earn the aforementioned prize.  “I’m gonna hold you to that.”

Lissa glanced back at Sully.  She was still counting reps, but had ceased walking around her trainee and had moved to stand next to Frederick, apparently exchanging cordial pleasantries between numbers.  Taking advantage of the older woman’s divided attention, she reached into her pouch, pulled out a Strength Tonic, and discreetly handed it to her rapidly weakening ally.  “Here, take this.  Just in case you need an extra boost to get through,” she said in a low voice with a wink.

Gaius swiftly snatched it before Sully could catch on and used a quick slight-of-hand technique to hide it.  “Thanks!” he whispered, returning the smile and a wink of his own.

“We should leave them, milady.  Your brother is likely expecting you to join him for breakfast, and I have other matters to attend to,” Frederick said, abruptly ending his conversation with the tomboyish redhead.

“Right.  See ya later Gaius!  Bye Sully!”

The princess and her knight re-entered the camp, walking together in the direction of the mess area.  Lissa chatted away to fill the silence about nothing in particular, but she quickly noticed that the conversation was a bit one-sided.  “Uh, Frederick?  What’s up?  Is something wrong?  You’re not listening.”

The distracted soldier immediately dismissed his internal personal debate and gave her a gentle expression.  “Ah, forgive me, milady.  I became lost in thought.  What were you saying?”

Lissa stopped walking and looked up intently at one of her oldest friends.  “It’s not important.  Is something the matter?  You’re not yourself all of a sudden.”

Frederick shook his head.  “Thank you for asking, but it is nothing you need concern yourself with, milady.  I merely find myself facing a bit of a dilemma.”

“Do you want to talk about it?  It might help.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I myself must think on it yet.  And even if it were not so, it would be presumptuous of me to lay such trivial troubles upon you, princess.  If you will excuse me…” He bowed low and walked away without waiting for a proper dismissal.

Lissa watched him go, a dual sense of concern for the venerable soldier and her own loneliness creeping in.  It pained her to think that Frederick, like many others, felt that his problems were unworthy of her attention. It also bothered her, as it always did , that so few treated her like a peer.  It seemed like a constant, unwinnable battle: attempting to live up to everyone’s standards of what a princess should be while at the same time desiring the level of companionship that only seemed obtainable to those of “lower” social standing.

Perhaps that was why she enjoyed spending so much time with the Ylissian criminal.  He was one of the few who regarded her on relatively even terms as well as respecting and patiently assisting in her self-improvement efforts.  Everyone else, her brother and best friend Maribelle included, tended to be overprotective and were always telling her she was perfect and shouldn’t change at all.   She agreed that the main components of her personality must remain, but she liked the feeling of accomplishment she got from mastering a new skill and feeling more useful in general.

With that in mind, the Valkyrie decided that she would eat, wash up, and then spend the majority of her day practicing needlework.  She knew that Gaius would come find her later for the tart she promised, so she would ask him for some more lessons then.  Feeling much more cheerful at that thought, she skipped into the mess tent to join her brother for breakfast.

 


	2. Chapter Two

Several days later found Lissa wandering around the camp, somewhat bored and looking for some way to entertain herself.  Chrom, Robin, and Frederick were having a meeting about the Shepherd’s next move and her closest companions seemed to be busy with various duties at the moment, so she was left to her own devices.  With her social butterfly personality, she had always preferred to spend very little time alone, and this impulse increased after the death of Emmeryn.  Any time she could escape being trapped with her own thoughts was time well spent, and her improved commitment to training and chores helped provide just such an escape.

But it appeared that even the most menial tasks had been completed and everyone was already predisposed.  The young noble exhaled loudly in annoyance.  She was just about to give up on finding something to do when the perfect distraction presented itself.

She was nearing the section of the camp dedicated to weapons and supplies.  Since the Shepherds had been stationed here for longer than usual, the mobile convey had been unloaded and organized into two large tents, one for equipment and one for food and hygiene necessities.  This enabled easier access and allowed everyone to take stock of and repair or replace equipment if necessary.  The tents were positioned side by side with a gap in between, which itself was somewhat filled by several very tall stacks of crates, some empty and others full.  The convoy itself was off to one side so that it too could be repaired and improved from the normal wear and tear of constant travel.

Gaius, who had likely just returned from a trip to a local village market, was casually walking by the crates at that moment when he stumbled and dropped the small satchel he was carrying.  As he kneeled to retrieve it, rather than immediately stand and continue on his way, he paused and looked at the containers.  Something interesting seemed to draw his attention, because he glanced around to make sure no one else was in the vicinity (Lissa ducked behind a nearby barrel to avoid detection), and then he moved closer to them, looking through some of the spaces between.  He stayed rooted to that spot for some time.

Lissa stifled a laugh as an idea popped in her head.  She crept over to the inattentive thief as quietly as she could, biting her lip in amusement.  When she was close enough and felt sure that he was sufficiently distracted, she hopped onto his back and covered his eyes.  “Guess who?”

“Waaah!”  Gaius flinched and lost his balance, falling backwards and almost crushing the blue-blood beneath him.  He immediately scrambled off and pouted when he realized who had surprised him.  “Princess?  What the hell?!”

She sat up and glared at him.  “I was just trying to surprise you.  I didn’t think you’d jump and fall over like that.”

“Forgive me for being startled when someone tries to manhandle me.”  He stood and offered her a hand.

Lissa accepted his help, but crossed her arms stubbornly as soon as she was up.  “I don’t know what ‘manhandling’ is, but I’m pretty such that wasn’t it.”

“Whatever.  Did you need something, Princess?  I’m kind of in the middle of something here.”

“Oh really?  Does that something include spying on people?”  Now that she was closer, she could hear voices coming from somewhere behind the supply tents and deduced what her friend had been up to.  She smirked and pointed in the direction of two individuals who were visible through the gaps in the stacks of crates.

Gaius almost never blushed; it took a great deal to embarrass him and even more so to induce any sense of shame at being caught in questionable acts, but his face did become noticeably redder.  Lissa found it rather charming.

 “I wasn’t spying!  Not intentionally, anyway.”

“Of course not.  I’m sure you had a perfectly legitimate reason for crouching behind these boxes and peeking through the holes.”  

“I did… at first,” the outlaw defended himself sheepishly.  “I dropped some of my goodies and went to pick them up when…”

“Uh-huh.  Suuuuure you did,” she interrupted with an evil grin on her face.  “And I suppose it’s normal to take over ten minutes to pick up a single bag of candy.”

“Well, I…” he stopped mid-sentence as her comment fully registered.  “Wait a minute!  How did you know I’ve been here for over ten minutes?” he asked, simultaneously confirming her accusation while levying one of his own.

“Because I’ve been spying on you,” the princess unashamedly admitted with a smile.

He gaped at her unexpected honesty.  “Should I be flattered or offended by that?”

She shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Maybe both.”  She moved to peer between the crates, mirroring his actions.  “So who are you spying on?”

Gaius sighed, knowing that she would never talk when one truly wanted her to.  “Not spying.  Observing.”

Lissa crouched down and her voice dropped to a whisper.  “Okay, fine.  Why are you ‘observing’ Lon’qu and Cordelia?” she probed, having identified the objects of his sudden fascination without his help.  She was amazed that his earlier outburst and their playful banter just now hadn’t disturbed them.

“Curiosity,” he replied vaguely.

“Care to elaborate?”

The sneaky thief kneeled next to her and looked through the cases as well.

From their vantage, the both of them could see that the redhaired Pegasus Knight and the brunet Myrmidon were utilizing the open space behind the supply tents to engage in some sort of fencing exercises.  Cordelia was holding a practice sword and seemed to be moving it in accordance with instructions given by Lon’qu, who stood several feet away, looking both very uncomfortable and deep in thought.  They showed no signs of having been troubled by their antics or were even aware of their presence.

“I was wondering if Blade was finally gonna put the moves on Cordelia or if he’s wuss out again.”

“Blade?  Wait… are you talking about Lon’qu?  Are you saying he likes Cordelia?  As in like likes?”

He nodded.  “More than likes, actually.”

“But… but how?  I mean, he can’t stand being around women except in battle.  All that time Chrom asked him to guard me from those assassins, he wouldn’t come within ten yards of me until the very last moment.”

Gaius chuckled, thoroughly entertained by the whole situation.  “Well, he’s no Virion just yet, but he’s clearly making progress with her in particular.”

“What do you mean?”

He waved his hand in a gesture for Lissa to come closer.  When she did, he placed his hands on her shoulders from behind to guide her to sit in front of him and look from his angle.  He kept his hands where they were and leaned forward to whisper directly into her ear.  “You gotta really look close at his subtle expressions and body language to pick it up, but once you do, it’s pretty clear.”

“R-really?”  Lissa blushed, not entirely sure what to make of the sudden closeness.  Her brother was the only other male in her life who’d ever had any physical contact with her that didn’t involve protecting her, and even that was limited to only an occasional hug.  She was surrounded by warriors after all, of whom Chrom was chief, so public affection was not routinely practiced among the Shepherds.

“Just watch,” the young outlaw instructed, seemingly unaware of the confusion he’d created.  “First, you’ll notice that he’s standing pretty close to her, at least by his usual standards.  And then, whenever she looks away, he has this really tiny smile on his face and he doesn’t have that horrified ‘get-the-hell-away-from-me’ look in his eyes.”

The healer took a deep breath to try to focus on what he was saying instead of the gentle warmth of his hands and his familiar sugary scent.  She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes, trying to take note of the small gestures that would indicate a more than friendly attraction between two such dedicated warriors.

“Did you see it?  During that downward strike just now, his face went pink and he smiled.”

Lissa shook her head.  “I don’t know.  I think you might be imagining things.  He always looks pretty red when girls are around.”

Gaius suppressed a jovial laugh at that very obvious statement.  “True.  But I swear I’m not making it up.  Just keep watching.”

A few uneventful moments passed, and she was about to question his observation skills again, when something happened that finally confirmed his suspicions.    

Lon’qu apparently needed to demonstrate the next technique and held out his hand for the practice sword.  Cordelia turned the dull weapon so that he could take the hilt, but he hesitated.  At first, Lissa thought it was because he didn’t want to get close enough to take it directly from her, but she was surprised when he not only accepted it, but shakily took hold of her hands also.  He guided her fingers to grip the blade’s hilt at a slightly different angle.  All the while his cheeks grew several shades darker than the Pegasus Knight’s cherry colored locks.  Finally, with one hand over hers, and the other coming to rest on her shoulder, he manipulated her arms through a series of fluid movements, which would likely translate into rapid strikes in a complicated sequence.

Gaius snickered behind her.  “Heh heh… smooth move.  Nice one, Blade!”

“No… way…” Lissa gawked.

After a few repetitions, the swordsman released Cordelia as though he’d just been burned and retreated to his “safe zone”.  While his charge repeated the motions with more ferocity, the shy brunet watched, speaking occasionally to correct a mistake.  

The princess really had to focus to see it, but he was right after all, for a very small but definite smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and an almost dreamy expression crossed his face.

The perceptive outlaw nodded enthusiastically.  “See?  Told ya.”

“I can’t believe it.  

“Not a bad start, but he’s gonna have to work a hell of a lot harder than that if he really wants to win her over.”

Lissa turned her head just a little to look over her shoulder at her friend.  “Hmm?”

Gaius let go with one hand and shifted so that he was now kneeling next to her, but he left the other one where it was so that his arm remained around her in an almost side hug.  He leaned forward to get a better view at their targets.  “Okay, so get this: clearly Blade digs her.  But Cordelia is practically obsessed with Blue.  Well, her and a few others.”

“Blue?  You mean my brother?”  Again, the unusually affectionate gesture forced her to really concentrate on the conversation at hand instead of drifting off into her imagination.

“Yeah.”

She blinked rapidly as she processed the statement, yellow brows furrowed in contemplation.  “Cordelia likes Chrom?  I didn’t know that.  I thought Sumia was in love with him.”

“Like I said, her and a few others,” he replied, rolling his eyes.  “But here’s where it gets really juicy.  Blue isn’t in to either of them.  He’s in love with Bubbles.  Er… I mean Robin.”

“What?!”  Lissa slapped a hand to her mouth a little too late when she realized how loud she said that.

“SHH!”  They both looked out at Lon’qu and Cordelia pensively to make sure they hadn’t been heard, but the two continued without interruption.

“Robin?  Are you serious?” the Valkyrie asked, dropping her voice again.  “I used think Chrom would get together with Sumia.”

“That might have been true before the war, maybe, but now he’s head-over-heels in love with our lady Tactician.  Although honestly, I’m not sure he’s even figured that out yet.”  

Lissa started rubbing her temples in confusion.  “Okay.  So let me see if I’ve got this straight.  Lon’qu likes Cordelia, who is in love with Chrom, who is in love with Robin.  Right?”

“You are correct.”  He grinned slyly.  “Now you see why I stuck around to watch.  Honestly, Shepherd romance drama is better than a play any day.”

“Hmm.  Guess I really hadn’t thought about it.  I don’t think anyone means for this stuff to happen.”

“Oh, I know.  But it’s still fun.”

“Yeah.”  She tilted her head cutely and smirked.  “But honestly, you really know an awful lot about everyone’s love lives.  I can be pretty nosey, but I think you’ve got me beat.  At least I make an effort to respect people’s privacy.”

Gaius shrugged.  “Hey, I don’t pry or anything.  I’m just not so uptight and hyper-focused that I miss the little things.  Plus, most people seriously overestimate their ability to hide their feelings.  It’s actually really obvious when you pay attention.”

Suddenly Lissa didn’t feel so well.  “Oh.  Y-you think so?”

“Yep.  It’s just a matter of time really.  Stuff like that always comes out eventually.”

Something about the deeper timbre of his voice made her suspect that he was no longer simply referring to Lon’qu or Cordelia, or her brother for that matter.  She started squirming, uncomfortable with the thoughts and feelings swimming around in her own being.  Fortunately, her movements forced him to release her and back up a little to give her some much needed breathing room.

“S-so, have you noticed anyone else with love troubles?  Other people hiding secret passions or more scandalous love triangles popping up?”  She hoped that further gossip would curve the conversation a little.  She was wrong.

“Hmmm, yes and no.  There’s some others working on it, I’m sure.  But then again, when I said most people’s feelings are obvious, I may have exaggerated.  There’s a few that are a little hard to read, which is somewhat surprising given their personality.”

“What do you mean?”

Gaius leaned in a little.  “I mean that _some_ people are so friendly in general, that others may feel like they’re getting mixed signals.  Honestly, it creates a lot of heartache and confusion.”  His overall countenance kept its usual laid back, almost bored quality, but there did seem to be a strange look in his eyes as he got closer.

“I’m not sure I follow.  Who are we talking about here?”

“Yeah, Thief.  Who are you talking about?”

Both “spies” jumped at the sound of a familiar deep voice directly behind them.  With nearly synchronized movements, they slowly turned and looked up to see Chrom standing over them, arms crossed and looking none-too-happy.  Robin was standing next to him, a medium-sized box balanced against her hip and a book in the opposite hand, smiling innocently.

The worldly Gaius was very well practiced in talking himself out of uncomfortable situations like this, so he recovered much faster than his partner-in-crime.  “Hey Blue.  What’s up?  Uh… been there long?” he asked casually, outwardly unfazed by the prince’s suspicious glare.

“I think I should be the one asking questions here.”

The career criminal stood up and nonchalantly produced a wrapped packet of cookies from somewhere on his person.  “Sure.  What do you want to know?”  He offered one each to his superiors, but only an amused Robin indulged.   

Lissa knew the sudden snacking was his way of hiding the fact that he was nervous, though that could be said for many of his habits.  As for her, she’d had enough awkward conversations for one day, so she just decided to partially rat them out.  “We were spying on Lon’qu and Cordelia,” she admitted, jumping up to her feet.

Chrom uncrossed his arms and his aura shifted from irritated to confused.  “What?”

The younger sibling pointed to the crates and the clearing beyond, relieved that her confession was diverting her overprotective brother.  “We were walking by when we saw them practicing sword techniques behind the supply tents…”

“…And we thought it was odd that they were working in such a small, secluded space and got curious,” Gaius added, quickly catching on.  “Seems a bit shady if you ask me.”

Robin’s face contorted as though a deliciously wicked thought had occurred to her.  “So… you two were walking _together_ when you found them?”

The future exalt was instantly riled up again and only now did Lissa feel true regret for the past pranks she inflicted on the unsuspecting tactician.  “No.  Not exactly, um…”

Gaius maintained his composure and stepped in to elaborate.  “What she means is that we were walking in the same area.  I just got back from a cookie run,” he pointed to his satchel on the ground and held up the crumbly confection in his hand for emphasis, “and she was already here I guess.”

“I was bored and looking for something to do,” the princess added honestly.

Chrom didn’t seem convinced, but thankfully, Robin decided to be merciful.  “Lucky for me.  I was actually looking for all four of you, so it saves me some time.  I need to brief you,” she nodded at Gaius, “and Lon’qu on our next mission, Cordelia is supposed to relieve Sumia of patrol duty soon, and I believe Maribelle intends to have you join her for tea, Lissa.”

The younger woman saw the opening and jumped on it.  “Oh.  She is?  I better not keep her waiting then.  Bye, guys!”  She took off before anyone could press her further, internally debating on whether she owed the elder girl thanks for helping her get out of there or payback for aggravating the situation.

As for her conversation with Gaius… had he been implying what she thought he was?  Could she dare hope?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for stopping by! 
> 
> To be continued...


	3. Chapter Three

“There you are, Lissa darling!  I have been searching this cesspool of miscreants and barbarians all over for you!”

Said girl turned around and grinned widely at the sight of her closest friend and Sage class Shepherd.  “Hey Maribelle!  How’s it going?”

The dignified noblewoman hurried over and took her by the hands.  “Much better, now that I’ve finally located you.  Have you forgotten our plans to take afternoon tea together?”

Lissa shook her head.  “I didn’t forget.  I just got… distracted, that’s all.”

Maribelle furrowed her brows.  “Distracted?  That would be quite an understatement.  You look positively unwell.”

The princess wrenched her hands free to feel her own face.  “Really?  Do I look bad?”

“Do not touch your face before removing your gloves and washing your hands, dear.  You may ruin that perfect complexion.”  She took her hand again.  “Come.  We will discuss this over tea, and AWAY from intrusive ears.”   She raised the volume of her voice at the end and stared indignantly at Vaike, who at the moment happened to be walking by but had slowed his pace to eavesdrop.  He took the hint and continued on his way, muttering to himself about stuck-up nobles.

Lissa allowed herself to be led towards her friend’s private quarters.  As they walked with hands entwined, she felt a small solid bulge on Maribelle’s left-hand ring finger beneath her glove and noticed the distinctive glint of polished metal.  “Hey Mari, are you wearing a ring?”

The elder blonde discreetly coughed to hide her flushed face.  “Hush.  Not here.  In a moment, darling.  Allow me to serve the tea first.”

Once they reached the tent, Lissa settled down on one end of the bed spread while Maribelle carefully poured their drinks.  “Okay, spill it.  Is that a ring on your finger or not?  And does it mean what I think it does?”

Maribelle sat down and took a sip of her tea, eyes closed and a demure little smile on her face.  “It does indeed.”

The princess squealed excitedly and threw her arms around best friend, thankfully after she’d set her hot cup down.  “AHH!  CONGRATULATIONS!  Let me see!  Let me see!” she demanded, hopping up and down in her seat.

Even the young duchess had a difficult time containing her exhilaration as she held out her left hand, likewise almost bouncing a little on her blankets.

Lissa grabbed her hand and pulled it close to her face to examine the engagement ring.  It was very simple: nothing more than a thin gold band and a single pink stone.  Such a humble trinket paled in comparison to the ornate and expensive jewelry both girls had at home, but Maribelle was positively glowing with pride and adoration.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful, Mari!” she complimented honestly, for it truly was, and the other girl’s thinly veiled joy made it even more so.

“Thank you, dear.”

“So who’s the lucky guy?” the princess inquired, finally partaking of her own tea.  

“My intended is none other than Master Donnel.”

Lissa nearly spit out her drink in surprise.  “What?  You’re marrying Donny?  As in the pig farmer from the backwoods village Donny?”

Maribelle frowned, evidently offended by her shocked tone.  “Am I to take that to mean you do not approve?” she asked rather sensitively.

“What?  No, not at all!  I just had no idea that you two were spending time together.  You never said anything about it.”  She likewise became defensive in turn.  “Frankly, I’m hurt not only because you think I wouldn’t approve, as if that really matters anyway, but that you kept this a secret from me!”

“I apologize, darling,” she replied, her ire immediately subsiding.  “My frustration stems from my own struggles.  I should not have taken it out on you.”  She took another poised sip from her tea.  After a brief pause, she confessed, “For some time, I have found myself worried that I think too highly of myself.  I wondered if perhaps others consider me a snob.”  She did not allot Lissa any time to refute this statement.  “This increased considerably as I spent time with Donnel and recognized the growing attraction between us.  My feelings were undeniable, but I hesitated to act upon them because of the substantial difference between our social stations.”

Lissa nodded.  “I can understand that.  So what changed?”

“Both of us, I suppose.  For myself, I am learning to value others not by their birthright or proper etiquette and manners, but by the quality of their character.  In that respect, he has proven himself many times over through his work ethic, his commitment to better himself, and a remarkable intelligence often overlooked by his, shall we say, peculiar manner of speech.  For his part, his growing strength and the relationships he’s cultivated have improved his self-esteem tremendously.  He has gained a healthy appreciation and view of himself, the perfect balance of humility and confidence.”    

“I did notice that he seems much surer of himself lately.”

“Indeed.”

Lissa leaned in and grinned excitedly, the way she often did when sharing a secret or inside joke.  “So how did he propose to you?  Tell me everything!  Don’t leave out any details!”

Maribelle relaxed a little, her carefully trained grace melting just enough to let the elated bride-to-be to peek through.  “You won’t believe this…”

For the next thirty minutes or so, the duchess regaled her best friend with the story of how she and the former villager had gotten engaged as well as the key moments that led up to the event, complete with appropriate pauses to consume their tea and nibble on dainty confections.  The princess listened intently, occasionally asking questions, sharing in Maribelle’s obvious happiness, and laughing with her at Donny’s impression of her while he rehearsed the event in the barracks.  

“Naturally, I agreed, to which his reply was ‘Ahh, shucks’.”  She employed a remarkable imitation of her fiancé as well throughout the tale.

Both girls laughed, though Lissa was considerably louder and less restrained.  “That sounds so like him.”

Maribelle sighed, the way young women in love always do.  “It’s so strange.  The little quirks that I normally have no tolerance for in most are the very things that I find positively charming in Donny.  Love is quite inexplicable that way.”

Lissa nodded, and then added with a smirk, “He’s not so bad on the eyes, either.”

The betrothed girl blushed ever-so-slightly, attempting to hide it behind her cup.  “Yes, well… I suppose I must admit that underneath the dirt and grim, his features were nothing to sneeze at to begin with, and his training program is certainly paying off.”

“So when’s the big day?  Oh!  And I get to be your maid-of-honor, right?”

“But of course, dear.  However, the ceremony will not be for some time.  I will be embarking on a separate mission with Robin and several others that will likely encompass two or three weeks.  Even after that, Donnel and I have agreed to wait until the Plegian campaign is _completely_ over.”  She took a moment to finish her cup of tea and swiftly poured a second.  Then she frowned in distaste.  “That dastardly coward, Gangrel, may be dead and rotting where he belongs, but not all of his loyal followers have abandoned their crusade.  Ylisse will recover much quicker once we are rid of those fanatical Grimleal and driven out all the shameless brigands.”  

“I totally agree.”  After a suitable moment of silence, Lissa followed up on the slight change of subject.  “So what mission are you talking about?  Is it the same one Robin mentioned to Gaius and Lon’qu?”

“Let’s discuss that a little later, dear.  I would like to know exactly what is going on with you.  You seemed to me to be in some sort of distress when I found you.”

She slumped in dismay; she had hoped the excitement of the engagement would keep them both preoccupied long enough for her to forget the embarrassing predicament she’d been fleeing from.  “Oh… um… do we really have to talk about it?”

Maribelle shook her head.  “We don’t _have_ to if you truly don’t wish it.  I just hate to see you in such a state.  If something is amiss in your life, I would like to do whatever I can to help rectify it.”  The Sage reached over and gently took one of her hands, giving it a soothing, reassuring squeeze.

“I know.  I’m not trying to shut you out or anything.  I’m just so confused.”

“About what exactly, Lissa darling?”

She  anxiously played with the hem of her skirt, twisting it until it began to wrinkle.  “Well, um… you see…”  An idea popped in her head that she thought might help clarify things.  “Maribelle, when did you realize you were in love with Donny?”

She cleared her throat to mask her surprise at that question.  “I believe we just finished discussing this, did we not?”

“Not really.  I mean, sort of.”  Lissa groaned and knocked her own head with a fist once in an effort to force her thoughts loose.  “I mean, we talked about stuff that happened, but I’m talking about that one moment that made you stop and think, ‘Oh my gosh!  I’m in love with Donnel!’  You know what I mean?”

Maribelle smirked, finally catching on to subtext of her friend’s question.  “Ah, I see what this is about.  Would I be correct in assuming that you find yourself enamored with someone but are unsure of the extent of your feelings?”

She stared at her lap and gulped before nodding slowly.

The wiser bride-to-be giggled.  “I should have known.  You have been exhibiting the classic signs: laughing, blushing, skipping, mood swings…”

“Really?  Was it that obvious?”  Lissa wilted even further.

“Not to everyone.  Such behavior is actually quite common for you in everyday life, so only those who know you best suspected there was more to it, myself being one of them of course.”

The Valkyrie suddenly understood what Gaius was getting at when he said she sent mixed signals.  “Oh, I think that makes it worse.”

“Cheer up, darling.  You have absolutely nothing to worry about.  I have already taken the liberty to devise a strict process that your potential suitors must adhere to and pass before they are even allowed minor conversations with you.  As none have yet to survive my approval, any feelings that you may have are truly moot at this point.”

“Maribelle!  You’re not serious, are you?”

“Come now, Lissa.  Be reasonable.  You are far too trusting for your own good.   _Someone_ must save you from your own good intentions.  And since Chrom is somewhat preoccupied leading this army, it might as well be me.”

Lissa made a loud noise that was part groan, part whine and buried her head in her hands.  “Oh, what am I supposed to do?”

Maribelle gave her a moment to internally wallow in confusion.  Eventually, she scooted closer and tenderly put an arm around her.  “Lissa, you know that I love you and I simply want what’s best for you.  I also know that your brother feels the same.  If it were up to me, I’d arrange a marriage for you with a high noble of good breeding and great wealth, one guaranteed to love and respect you and provide for you all of your days.”

“Maribelle, I…”

“Please, allow me to finish,” the duchess interrupted by putting a finger to the princess’s lips.  Her smile softened and there was a tiny glint of sadness in her eyes.  “That was my original intent but, as you know, I’ve begun to change my way of thinking.  Just because I think something is the best way, doesn’t mean it is always the right way nor will it ensure your happiness.  And you are more than capable of making your own decisions.  I have some reservations, of course, but if giving your heart to a thief will make you happy, then I shall support you.”

Lissa stared at her while many thoughts and feelings swirled around in her head.  Disbelief at her declaration and her knowledge of her potential suitor’s identity, love, gratefulness, and further confusion battled for dominance.  “Maribelle, I… I don’t know what to say.”

She leaned back and her usual expression of self-amusement and importance replaced her serious demeanor.  “I can’t say Gaius would be my first choice for you, but he does possess some redeeming qualities.  A life with him would likely be quite interesting, to say the least. And I do believe that he will treat you well.  Nonetheless, he will be sufficiently threatened that the gods themselves will have to intervene to save him from my wrath should he ever break your heart.”

Lissa laughed, feeling cheered by her friend’s good heart.  She hugged her.  “Thanks, Maribelle.  You’re the best!”

“I know, dear.”

When she pulled away, the Valkyrie’s brows and lips frowned.  “I really do appreciate it, but that doesn’t really help me figure out what to do about anything.  I mean, what should I say to Gaius?”

“Oh, Lissa… there’s really no need to make it so difficult.  You are the princess of the Ylisse.  You simple order him to marry you.”

“Maribelle!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for stopping by! Comments Appreciated!


	4. Chapter Four

“Hey, Robin?  Who’s on meal duty this afternoon?”

The tactician-turned-Assassin glanced up from her stack of books and maps at the blonde haired royal.  “Libra and Olivia at least.  I’m not sure who else.  Why do you ask?”

“I’m supposed to work in the med tent all day today, but I kind of wanted to help with supper.  Do you think Libra would be willing to switch stations with me?”

Robin raised an eyebrow in idle curiosity but decided not to press the issue.  “He might be reluctant, but he’ll likely agree anyway.  But you’d better ask him quick; they’re probably starting soon.”

“I will.  Thanks, Robin!”  Lissa hurried off to find the War Monk.

Her talk with Maribelle about a week ago and subsequent chats as the Shepherds marched onward had helped clarify some of her thoughts, but there was still so much she wasn’t too sure about.  She knew she had feelings for the Ylissian thief but she hesitated to call it “love” just yet.  Likewise, she couldn’t really classify it as a “crush” either because it was certainly much deeper than that.  She’d once had a childhood crush on Frederick after all, and those feelings had certainly passed.

In the end, Lissa decided to bide her time for now.  Even if she had been sure of her heart, the rest of her didn’t feel ready.  Her needlework and sewing skills had improved considerably, but her cooking abilities were still severely lacking, if Kellam’s reaction to her last pie attempt was any indication.  She didn’t believe she had the requisite skills to be anyone’s wife and thought that if she improved, it would increase any chance she had with Gaius.

With that goal in mind, she sought out every available opportunity to help prepare meals, hoping that plenty of practice along with working under a myriad of cooks would imbue her with at least an acceptable level of culinary aptitudes.  As tonight would be the last time for a while that a good meal could be prepared with care (as opposed to quick campfire roasts), the Valkyrie wanted to take full advantage.  

Libra was strangely disappointed when she asked him to switch duties, but just as Robin predicted, he kindly agreed nonetheless. Having secured permission, she rushed over to the supply tents and convoy.

“Olivia!  Guess what?  Libra and I switched shifts so I’m going to be your partner for dinner today!”  Lissa prattled as she burst into the food prep area.

The pink-haired dancer jumped up with a squeak.  “EEK!”

“Sorry.  I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

Olivia shook her head.  “It’s quite alright.  I’m the one who should apologize for not paying attention.”  She was still visibly shaking like a leaf and curled into herself, making her tiny body appear even smaller.  

Lissa had to resist her natural urge to comfort the cute girl with a hug.  “You don’t need to be sorry.  It was my fault.  So what are we making?”  She knew that if she didn’t move on, they’d get stuck in an endless circle of apologies.

The female Feroxian did look on the verge of expressing contrition again, but took the hint and let it go.  “Well, Donnel and Robin trapped a wild boar this morning, so I was thinking we’d make a stew.  Donny’s getting the meat ready, so I was about to start looking for vegetables to add.”

“Great!  Just tell me what you need me to do.”

For the next ten minutes, the girls debated ingredients.  The princess managed to talk the other out of a few of her least favorite options but made no significant contributions to the selection of seasonings otherwise.  Once Olivia was satisfied with their choices, the girls got to work on peeling and dicing carrots, potatoes, and celery along with a few other vegetables that were unfamiliar to the Ylissean native, but were apparently common place in Ferox and Plegia.

The two had never really spent much time together before yet conversation between them was easygoing and enjoyable as they worked. But as time progressed, Lissa began to get a little frustrated with Olivia’s self-demeaning behavior.  Whenever she asked a question about the proper way to do something or what she knew about herbs, quite a few (though admittedly not all) of her statements started or ended with something like “Well, I hardly know anything, but…” or “so-and-so can do this much better.  I’m basically useless…”

Lissa continued to reassure her and was genuinely interested in whatever knowledge she would share, but it was tiring to try and come of up ways to encourage the infinitely shy performer.  Eventually, after everything had been chopped and added to the mix (a blood-stained Donnel put in the meat), she offered to keep stirring the massive stew pot hanging over a low fire while Olivia busied herself with fruit for some sort of pastry.

The career entertainer started humming softly and the Valkyrie smiled in content and admiration.  In addition to being a gorgeous dancer, the girl also had the most mesmerizing singing voice.  It was easy to see why so many of the men in the army praised her talents and beauty, and such was her charm that the women bore no jealousy towards her, but rather loved her like a little sister.

Now that she thought about, Lissa wasn’t exactly sure if Olivia was younger or older than her.  She was about to ask when someone else strolled into the area, accompanied by a positively delicious smell.

“Hey, baby.  Got another pie for you to try.”

Lissa looked over her shoulder at Gaius, mentally noting that his usual thief class garb had been upgraded to that of a Trickster.  Robin had paired with him in recent battles, and his downtime had been spent sparring with her, Lon’qu, and Panne, so she hadn’t seen much of him lately.  She half expected him to approach her, but was disappointed when he set the treat down in front of the dancer and leaned against her flour-covered table.

“Oh, I can’t wait!  May I eat it now?”

Gaius shrugged, shifting the sucker in his mouth so he could speak more clearly.  “That was the idea.  Just remember to be honest about the taste, okay?  It’s not a brand new recipe but I did change a few things.”

“Of course.”  The girl pulled out a clean utensil and indulged in his newest creation.  Her eyes closed in bliss and she smiled around her spoon.  “Mmm!  I’m not much of a judge, but I’d say this is even better than your last one!”

“Glad you like it,” the thief replied, grinning back.

“Hey, can I have some?” Lissa interrupted, feeling a little left out.  She also silently wondered why Gaius never offered her any homemade pies.

“Oh, hey Princess.  Didn’t see you there.  I didn’t really make a lot so there’s not much.  Plus I ate quite a bit of it myself.”

“It’s alright.  I don’t mind sharing.”  Olivia brought over the plate and another spoon and the girls divided what was left of the small piece.

“Wow, Gaius.  This is really good!” she complimented as Olivia resumed her work.

He crossed his arms and glanced away.  “It’ll do for now.  I haven’t perfected it quite yet.”

Lissa narrowed her eyes, confused and annoyed at such a different response.  “So are you working on some sort of secret recipe?  How come I never got to taste test any?”  

He shook his head with a smirk as he approached her.  “In answer to your first question: maybe.  As for the second one, Olivia here has a very discerning palate when it comes to sweets.  She appreciates the subtleties of the flavor.”

“And you’re saying I don’t?”

He leaned over her and prodded her in the stomach.  “Said the girl who didn’t know an oatmeal cookie from a chocolate chip.”

She turned away from him and resumed stirring the stew pot.  “Hmph!  Fine!  Whatever! Go talk to your new best friend about your pies then!  See if I care.”

“Obviously you do care or you wouldn’t be this riled up.  But I do need her input.”  Gaius left her to sulk and returned to ask the more refined girl specific questions about taste, texture, and sweetness level.

Lissa listened quietly and felt her irritation increasing.  While she had spent some time cooking with the outlaw, she’d never shared her pie attempts with him either.  Somehow she’d gotten Kellam to be her guinea pig for now; she had wanted to perfect her own recipe before presenting it to Gaius (she had previously changed her mind about baking them for Chrom).  It appeared that this was likely an impossible goal, considering how surprisingly picky he seemed to be about sweets.

“So, baby, what do you think about the fruit to crust ratio?”

“Well, I’m not very good at judging foreign confections.  Ylisseans probably have different tastes than the average Feroxean.  But I would say you could add another cup or so of berries.”

It was a bit of a double standard, but she couldn’t help being bothered and disappointed with him for not mentioning his own dessert experiments or sharing them with her.  At least she had a good reason for keeping hers a secret.

She started stirring the stew a little harder.

“What about the crust?  Too flaky?  Be honest.”

“Oh, the crusts I make are always horrible, so all of yours are great by comparison.  This is one is especially good.”

“Baby, that’s just not true at all.  I’ve never heard a single complaint about your baking.”

‘Baby’ was an awfully intimate sounding label.  Most of Gaius’s pet names for people made sense but Lissa had only ever heard _that_ term used between courting couples.  

She stopped her aggressive circular motions as her heart sank.  Did that mean he was interested in Olivia?  Maybe she had misread the apparent signs of his attraction to herself.  Had her whole wild ride of emotions all been for nothing?  Or could it be that he been leading her on?

“Everyone I know enjoys your cooking almost as much as your dancing.”

“I don’t know…”

“Trust me.  I’ve been around the block a time or two, so I know what I’m talking about.  Now, about the sauce…”

What of Olivia?  Did she harbor any secret affection for Gaius?  Lissa’s focus had almost entirely been on trying to make _herself_ good enough for him.  She hadn’t considered that the perfect package was already available to him, nor did she pay any attention to see if said package reciprocated.  

And apart from the suffocating shyness, the dancer truly seemed like the perfect woman.  She was beautiful, graceful, poised, caring, compassionate, refined and delicate AND could handle a sword with a practiced hand.  Except for Emmeryn before her untimely death and perhaps Maribelle, Olivia, more than any other woman in the Shepherds embodied all the proper qualities of a true noblewoman, maybe even a princess.

As for Lissa, not only was she far removed from all of those essential qualities, she could not even prove by other means that she was the Ylissean princess.

“It seemed fine to me.  I don’t typically add extra sauce.”

“Well did you like it?”

“Oh yes, very much so.”

“Good.”

Suddenly, they’re conversation stopped when Olivia rushed over to her.  “Lissa, the stew!”

She looked up to see the broth boiling over and the fire sizzling from the water dripping on it.  “Oh my gosh!  I’m sorry!”  Together the girls adjusted the pot so that it wasn’t hanging directly over the flame and Lissa began stirring it again.  “That was close!”

The pink haired girl peered into the brew and studied its contents when Lissa used her ladle to lift a scoopful of meat and vegetables for inspection.  “It looks alright.  Nothing’s burned.”

“I’m so sorry.  I wasn’t paying attention.”  The Valkyrie wilted, feel very self-conscious.

“Oh, it’s alright.  I’m sorry too; I should have been helping you instead of talking.  Um, do you maybe want to take a break?  I can look after it for a little while.”

Olivia’s unnecessary apology struck a nerve with her.  “You know what?  Yeah.  You take over.  I’ll probably just ruin it anyway!”

“I didn’t mean to imply…”

“I know; I know.”  Lissa took a deep breath to try to calm herself.  “It’s just that you’re so amazing at everything and I can barely make a salad without screwing it up.”

Olivia shook her head vehemently.  “Neither of those things is true, Lissa.  You’ve been a great help tonight and made the work so very enjoyable.  Besides, I’m not as talented as everyone seems to think.”

That comment instantly ignited her frustration once more.  “Would you stop that already?  Gods, why can’t you just take the stupid compliment without contradicting it all the time?”

“E-excuse me?”

“Is it really so hard to accept how wonderful you are?  Everyone in this whole army sees that you’re beautiful and good at absolutely everything!”

The sudden increase in volume drew the outlaw’s attention and he hurried over to intervene.  “Hey Princess.  Calm down.  What’s gotten into you?”

Lissa approached him and forcefully thrust her ladle into his chest, pushing him a step backwards.  “Forget it!  Since you two are so great together, _you_ can help her!  I’m out of here!”

She started storming off but right away felt regret for behaving so childishly.  Of course she’d acted in a less than regal manner before, but it had never resulted from the emotional turmoil of jealousy, doubt, and despair.  

“Yo, Princess!  Wait up!”

Lissa kept walking, nearly running in fact, hoping that he would leave her be if she ignored him, but he sprinted ahead of her and blocked her path.

Damn Sully and her insanely effective training program!

“Hey!  What the hell was that?”

“Leave me alone, Gaius.”  She attempted to sidestep around him but he stayed put.

“No way.  Seriously, what’s wrong?  I’ve never seen you like this.”

“It’s nothing!” she snapped.

Gaius rolled his eyes.  “Right.  Clearly I’m misinterpreting this,” he said, referring to and poking the middle of her furrowed brows with his finger.  

The Valkyrie swatted his hand away and shoved him aside.  

“Hey!”  He caught her forearm and held on, tight enough to keep her from moving but not so much that he’d hurt her.  “Look, I don’t know what beef you’ve got with Olivia, but she was nearly in tears when you stormed off.  You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to, but I think you at least owe _her_ an explanation.”

She knew he was right.  It wasn’t fair of her to lash out at the overly insecure girl, even if her constant apologies and self-demeaning behavior was really annoying.  It simply seemed like the safer option in the moment.

“I’ll do it later,” Lissa mumbled, trying desperately to hide her face and hold back a sob.

“I agree that you need to calm down first but… wait.  Are you crying?”

She pulled her arm from his grasp and he willingly released it in surprise.  “No.”  She started walking away again, but Gaius stopped her once more, this time by gently taking her hand.

“Princess…”

“Don’t call me that.”  She turned and glared up at him.  “Don’t call me ‘Princess’.”

Confusion flickered in his eyes at the odd demand.  “Why not?  I thought you liked it.”

Lissa crossed her arms adamantly.  “I’ve changed my mind.”

It was clear that the Trickster was becoming frustrated in turn at her evasiveness but was reluctant to start a full-blown argument.  “Come on.  This isn’t like you.  What’s going on?  Why are you acting this way?”

She shook her head violently, no longer trusting herself to remain composed and internally reprimanding herself for getting so worked up over nothing.  

Gaius stepped closer to her and leaned in, locking eyes with her.  “Lissa, tell me what’s wrong,” he whispered in a soft, yet oddly commanding voice.

She looked down at her feet as she began to hiccup, struggling between the desire to be honest and open up and giving in to the self-protective instincts.  It didn’t help that while Gaius was unrelenting in his quest for answers, he was remarkably patient in waiting to her to speak.

“I… I guess I’m just tired of feeling so useless around here.  I know I’m a good healer and I’m getting better at using tomes, but… but I’m not anything special.  We have plenty of other mages and healers around.  I just don’t feel like I’m contributing anything unique or significant to Chrom or the Shepherds.”

“Oh, is that all?”

“What do you mean, ‘Is that all’?” Lissa snapped between sniffles.

Gaius shook his head.  “First of all, you’re completely wrong about not contributing anything.  Every soldier is valuable no matter their skills.  Especially you.  And secondly, you’re a princess.  Your birthright alone makes you “special”, doesn’t it?”

“And what if I wasn’t a princess, huh?  What then?” Lissa asked gravely through hot, angry tears.

“What are you talking about?”

She nearly choked on a cry as she mirrored his earlier movements and got in his face.  “What if I wasn’t a princess?  Would I still be ‘special’?  Or would I be even more useless?”  The volume of her voice began to increase with each subsequent question.  “Would anyone notice if I wasn’t around?  Would anyone miss me if I went back to Ylisstol and didn’t come along anymore?”

“Of course we would!” Gaius interrupted.  “You are an integral part of the Shepherds.  Everyone adores you, and Blue would definitely be lost without you.”  He paused to think for a second.  “Or at the very least, he’d be more of a pain in the ass.”

Lissa wiped her eyes with her sleeve and giggled at his attempt to cheer her up.  “Really?”

He smiled back.  “Really.”

She took a moment to compose herself, but realized that he hadn’t necessarily satisfied her query.  “What about you?  Would you still hang out with me if I wasn’t a princess?”

He frowned again.  “Seriously, what’s your deal with this ‘Princess’ thing?”

“Why don’t you just answer my question?”

“Ugh.”  He made a show of rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up.  “Yes.  Alright?  I’d still hang out with you if you weren’t a princess.  Honestly, when have I ever implied otherwise?  Birthrights and bloodlines don’t mean anything to me when it comes to friends.  I thought you knew that.”

“I do… now.  I guess I just needed to hear you say that.  Sorry for being so weird.”

“Whatever.  All girls are weird.  Anyway, I care more about a person’s character and heart than their title.  And when it comes to character, you’re definitely my kind of girl.”

Lissa blushed and her heart rate skyrocketed.  “I am?”

His mouth must have acted quicker than his mind could process the implications of that casual statement, because he began to turn red as well and looked away.  “Er… yeah.  I guess.  I mean, you’re completely different from most of the royals and nobles I’ve ever met.  If I really wanted to hang out with someone who acted like a princess, I’d probably spend more time with Olivia or maybe even Maribelle.  I mean… hey, wait!  Where are you going?”

The “princess” resumed her flight when Gaius unintentionally and apparently confirmed some of her deeper fears, and her tears returned with a vengeance.  

He realized his mistake immediately, slapped his own forehead and ran after her.  “Wait!  I’m sorry… I didn’t mean…”

Lissa didn’t give him a chance.  When he tried to grasp her arm again, she screamed, “LEAVE ME ALONE!” and dashed off.

Half blind with rage and doubt, she ran past quite a few people who called out to her or tried to intervene, but she stopped for none.  Instead, she ducked into the nearest tent without looking to see what it was and fell to her knees, sobbing.

“Milady?”

She looked up to see Libra set aside his staff and hurry over to her.   She’d rushed into the Healer’s Station and thankfully no one else was there.

“Lissa, what’s wrong?  Are you alright?  Are you hurt?”  The War Monk kneeled in front of her and kindly put a hand on her shoulder.  

Lissa grabbed the sleeves of his robe and buried her face in his chest.  She felt him flinch and hesitate for a moment and then pull her closer, rubbing her back soothingly.  

She remained where she was; crying and listening to him quietly reassure her until she drifted off and knew no more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments appreciated!


	5. Chapter Five

It was dark outside when she woke some time later.  She stared at the ceiling in the soft lamplight and attempted to gather her thoughts and bearings.

“Lissa?”

She sat up and followed the sound of the voice, somehow not surprised to see Libra kneeling by her side, hands folded in prayer.  

Their eyes met and he sighed in relief.  “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of settling you on this cot.  I did not think you would find the ground a very comfortable place to rest in your distress.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled.  Her throat was dry, so she coughed and rubbed the front of her neck.

Libra left her briefly and returned with a skin filled with water.  She accepted it gratefully and drank its entire contents.

“Better?”  When she nodded and returned the skin, he continued.  “Lissa, I cannot guess what may have occurred to leave you in such a state, and I will not force you to discuss it if you do not wish.  However, I should tell you that I turned away several visitors who were deeply concerned for your welfare.”

“Chrom?” she guessed.  

Libra smiled pleasantly.  “Yes.  Your brother had apparently learned of your outburst and came to see you, along with Maribelle, Robin, and Olivia.  I assured them all that you were well and simply needed a nap.”

“Oh, gods.”  She didn’t mind Maribelle and Robin, but she wasn’t ready to face the dancer yet.  “D-did Olivia say anything to you?”

“Only that she was worried.  She also seemed to think that she was the cause of your trouble.”

Lissa covered her face and shook her head.  “It wasn’t her; not really.”

“But she did have some involvement?  An altercation perhaps?”

“No.  Sort of.  Well…” Deciding that she couldn’t possibly embarrass herself further and trusting the War Monk to keep confidentiality and remain neutral in his opinions, she related the afternoon’s events, minus her secret feelings for Gaius or her deepest fears about her birthright.

He let her speak without interruption, and when she finished, he remained quiet for few minutes more to draw his own conclusions.

“I’m sorry,” Lissa said at last, unable to bear a long silence.  “Go ahead and say it: I was acting like an idiot.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that exactly,” Libra countered gently.  “It might be more accurate to say that you may have overreacted and taken offense where there was none.  And I can certainly understand how Olivia’s low self-esteem can be frustrating at times.  Though to be perfectly frank, you are both very similar in that way.”

The Valkyrie stared at him in surprise.  “Really?  How so?”

“Well, Olivia is certainly much more vocal about it and I agree that she frequently contradicts and deflects praise while you, on the other hand, are more than willing to graciously accept it.  However, you both maintain a rather low opinion of yourselves and greatly underestimate your value, not only as Shepherds but as individuals in general.”

“Oh.  Do you really think so?”  Lissa was certainly aware of her own doubts, but she hadn’t made the connection to the other before.  

He nodded.  “I do.  In fact, I believe that is partially why you became as heated as you did.  It wasn’t Olivia herself that angered you, perhaps not entirely, but the qualities you saw in her that you actually detest, because you possess them yourself and are unable to overcome them.”  

For a moment, Lissa considered arguing his point, but deep inside, she knew he was right.  At least he agreed that she was less insistent about her issues than the Feroxian was.  “Yeah, I guess so,” she muttered.

“Yet it would seem that you do not necessarily agree.  Perhaps because there is much in your heart you haven’t revealed, not simply to me, but to anyone.  Am I right?”

The princess sighed and looked down at her lap.  “How did you know?”

Libra chuckled softly.  “It’s not hard to guess.  In truth, such a statement is an accurate assumption regardless of whom I talking to.  Everyone has secrets they are afraid to admit; even me.”  He reached over and hesitantly placed his hand over hers.  “However, time and experience have shown me that shame and doubt is strongest when it remains hidden, in the dark.  But by being open and honest about that which plagues us, it loses its power over us.  We can find the strength to overcome them and accountability to change them, together with those we love and who love us.”  Almost as an afterthought, he patted her hand and added, “Rarely is such strength found alone.”   

“I know.  But… I just…”  Lissa stopped and then fell still once more, reflecting on the War Monk’s words and weighing the cost of admitting the truth.   

When she showed no signs of continuing, he interrupted her thoughts.  “If I may… is Gaius perhaps part of the problem?”

Her eyes practically bulged from her sockets in shock at the question.  “What?  Nooooo.  No way.  Nope.  Not at all.”  After a breath, she asked, “What made you think that?”

The shrewd holy man did his best to contain his laughter at her obvious denial.  “I neglected to mention that he also came to inquire of you.  I confess that I may have misled him a little.  He seemed remarkably insistent on speaking with you but I assumed you wouldn’t appreciate being woken up.  I told him that you were busy healing the wounded.  I simply did not tell him that it was yourself who was in need of healing.”  

“Uh, thanks.  I think.”

“Nonetheless, if either Gaius or Olivia did cause you some other trouble you haven’t mentioned, I would encourage you to work it out with them.  Allowing ill feelings to fester will only breed further contempt.”

“Alright.”  Lissa smiled then, grateful for the monk and his wise counsel.  Her problems weren’t solved of course, but his tender advice, even without knowing the full story, was enough to help her see a little more clearly.  More than any other in the Shepherds, Libra was able to advise and admonish others in a way that left one feeling inspired and at peace rather than judged.  His humble demeanor and soft presence were often more than enough to lift low spirits.  “Thanks for listening.”

“Of course, Lissa.  I am always happy to lend an ear and offer whatever I can.  I realize that there is much more going on than you were willing to speak of, and I will be here if you would like to talk about.  I will not pressure you to do so though.  In either case, I will be certain to keep you in my prayers.”

The princess wasn’t quite the devout follower in the teachings of Naga compared to him, but she maintained some level of faith and greatly appreciated the sentiment.  A willingness to pray for others was simply one way that he illustrated his love for them.  She leaned over and embraced him in a friendly hug.  “Thanks, again.”

Libra flinched slightly, but quickly relaxed and returned affectionate gesture.  “You are quite welcome.”

“Ahem…”  A deep voice interrupted the moment with a cough to draw their attention.  

The two drew back and looked up.  A weary-looking Frederick was standing in the entryway, waiting politely for their conversation to end.  He was hauling something over one shoulder that was complaining loudly and incessantly squirming.  

“Forgive me for interrupting, but Gaius was injured during his training session earlier and is in need of a healer.”

Libra swiftly stood and approached the pair, blocking the Trickster’s limited view.  “Of course.  Why don’t you set him down over here?”  He led the Great Knight away from Lissa towards the other side of the large tent, offering a quick glance over his shoulder at her.  

It seemed clear enough that he was giving her the chance to slip away unnoticed if she wanted, and she considered it.  But as much as she dreaded it, perhaps it was best to follow his advice and attempt to clear the air.  Besides, she knew that Gaius was leaving soon as a member of a small team that Robin was leading over the mountain pass on a separate mission of some sort.  Maribelle, who was also going, told her all about it.  If she didn’t settle things tonight, she would not have to opportunity to do so for some time.

“Here, let me help you, Libra.”  Lissa picked up the pillow he’d settled her with and brought it over to Gaius.  

A flash of surprise flitted across the man’s feminine features, but he did not comment on it.  “Your help is most welcome, Lissa.  Thank you,” he replied with a smile.

Frederick set the injured outlaw down on another cot, closer to the area where healing staves, tomes, and medicinal potions were stored at the ready, and took his leave of them.  

A rather beaten Gaius intentionally locked eyes with Lissa as she approached.  “Hey Prince… Lissa.  Didn’t expect to see you here.”  He then glanced over at Libra.  “Bubbles said the padre was on duty.  Although _he_ told me earlier that _you_ were.”

“A minor confusion,” Libra answered for her with a dismissive wave of his hand.  “In any case, we are both here now, and I made certain that the other areas of concern were covered.  Now, could you please show me your wounds?”

Lissa set the pillow on one end of the cot and listened as Gaius pointed out the many, but minor, scrapes, cuts, and gashes.  He also reluctantly allowed Libra to examine his bruised face, turning it from side to side while he briefly described his altercation with Lon’qu and informed them that a sprained ankle was the worst of his concerns.

“It wouldn’t matter much normally, but Robin needs us as healthy and rested as possible for that mission, and we’re leaving first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, I remember.  She was here earlier today taking stock of our healing staves and making certain you would have enough for your trip,” Libra responded.  “If you could please remove your boot and roll up the end of your trousers, we can get your ankle fixed.”  He turned away to decide on the appropriate treatment option and rummaged through their supply of potions.

Lissa tentatively touched her friend’s shoulder to draw his attention.  “Lay down.  I’ll take care of it.”

Gaius eyed here somewhat suspiciously, but did as he was told, settling in comfortably against the pillow.

The humble noble kneeled by his feet.  She gently took his injured foot in one hand and slowly tugged off his boot, followed by his sock, taking extra care to move the limb as little as possible.  She wrinkled her nose at the sudden unpleasant odor, and then audibly gasped, startled when several sugar pops spilled out of the hem of his trousers when she started rolling it up.  

“Uh… sorry.  I probably should have warned you about that,” Gaius mumbled sheepishly.

“About the candy or the smell?” Lissa coughed as she tossed aside his shoe with the sweaty sock stuffed inside.

He smiled weakly.  “Both?”

She rolled her eyes and smiled back, feeling a little more at ease.  

The War Monk turned back to them and handed Lissa a Mend Staff and a Concoction to Gaius for consumption.  Considering the nature of the injury, he determined that the combination would serve their purpose better than using several Heal spells.    

While Gaius propped himself up on his elbows to drink the Concoction, Libra kneeled beside the princess and placed his hands on the thief’s knee and ankle to anchor it.  

Lissa took a deep breath and focused her energy with closed eyes.  She channeled her power through the staff and held it lightly over the sprained appendage.  It began to glow a soft, earthy greenish white and she directed its healing light, willing it to permeate the bruised and wounded flesh of his lower leg rather than blanket his entire body in its soothing glow.  Once the skin’s discoloration had faded, she ceased her ministrations and Libra released him.

The “padre” stood and grinned down at him.  “You have been a most excellent patient today, Gaius.  You’re normally quite resistant to treatment.”

Lissa laughed.  “You mean he whines a lot.”

“Hey!  I do not!” he protested, sitting up with little effort now that his injuries had been dealt with.  “But uh… since I didn’t complain, does that mean I get a lollipop?”

“I fear that I have none to give,” Libra answered with a chuckle.  “And it would seem that you are already in possession of enough.”

Gaius quickly began stuffing the candy in question back in their hidden pockets and rolled his trouser leg back down.  Muttering something intelligible, he leaned over and snatched his shoe.  He pulled both sock and boot on, but was surprised when a heart-shaped lollipop appeared in his field of vision as he was adjusting it for comfort.

Lissa was kneeling in front of him again, smiling serenely as she held out one of her own secret candies as a peace offering.  “It’s alright.  Take it,” she said when he hesitated.

“Uh, thanks.”  Gaius accepted it with some trepidation, but he wasn’t about to turn down free sugar.

She looked up at her counterpart.  “Um, Libra, do you mind if…”

“I’ll leave you two to talk.  But I will not be far away, if you need me,” he complied, understanding immediately.  He bowed respectfully and exited the Healer’s tent.

Lissa moved to sit next to her friend on the cot, fear and shame creeping in again.  She felt that she did, in fact, owe him an explanation, but could she really take such a big risk, and with a criminal no less?  She’d told him before that his class and his past misdeeds didn’t matter to her, and she meant it.  And amid his unintentional insult earlier, he did confirm that her social station and bloodline didn’t matter to him.

“So, uh… did you want to talk, or just sit here awkwardly?” Gaius finally asked as he sucked on the lollipop.

She gulped and hummed softly in affirmation.  “I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier.  And I promise I’ll apologize to Olivia too.  It’s just that, well, I guess I was jealous.  Olivia’s so beautiful and delicate and perfect, and she can’t even see how wonderful she is.  And everyone treats her like a real princess.  I-I’m not saying I want to be treated like some stuck up noble who can’t do anything for herself.  But I do try to act like a lady, like Emm was, even though I usually fail miserably.  And the truth is… it might not even matter.”

Gaius his body shifted so that he was facing her more instead of sitting side by side.  “What do you mean?  Why not?”

Lissa turned and stared him dead in the eyes.  “Gaius, can you keep a secret?”

Under normal circumstances, he’d probably reply with some smart or sarcastic remark, but her look of desperation and seriousness deterred him.  He took the sucker out of his mouth and nodded gravely.  

She returned her gaze to her lap and twisted her skirt anxiously.  “When people joke about how I don’t behave like a princess… well… it really bothers me.  I try not to show it, but it does.  It bothers me because… there’s a chance it might be true.”

“I don’t follow.”  It was really no secret that she was far removed from the conduct expected of royals, especially when compared to her siblings.  And save for basic housekeeping skills, she didn’t seem to concern herself with practicing the mannerisms associated with nobles.  

“You know the birthmark on Chrom’s shoulder?  And Emmeryn’s forehead?”

“The Brand of the Exalt right?  Passed down through the royal bloodline, if I remember right.”

“Yeah,” Lissa confirmed.  “It’s _proof_ that you’re of that bloodline, that you belong to the royal family.  It guarantees without a doubt your birthright.  Most people in the family are born with the Brand right away, but some of them surface a little later.  But it always appears within the first couple years of their lives.  Except… mine never did.”

“Okay… so what?”

She was indignant that he had to ask.  “So… without the Mark of the Exalt, there’s no real proof that I’m Chrom’s sister, that I’m an Ylissean princess!  My mother was sick for a long time when she was pregnant with me and she died in childbirth.  Chrom and Emmeryn weren’t even allowed to visit her much.  They were so young, maybe too young to remember her right.  What if I’m an illegitimate child?  What if I’m adopted?”

Gaius shook his head, understanding her train of thought but failing to comprehend its significance to her.  “So what if you don’t have some stupid birthmark?  So what if you are illegitimate or adopted?  What difference does that make?”

Frustrated tears fell swiftly once again from her baby blue eyes.  She opened her fisted hands and glared at her palms, silently cursing the blank and unblemished skin, devoid of any birthmark, shining back at her.  “You said it yourself earlier: ‘Your birthright alone makes you special’.  But if my birthright is a lie, then what am I, huh?  What purpose do I serve?”

The Trickster groaned at his own stupidity, well aware that his previous blunder that afternoon would come back to bite him somehow.  He resumed sucking on his lollipop for comfort.  “Look, I’m sorry I said that, okay?  And the bit about how you don’t act like a princess.  I didn’t mean it like that.  I meant it more like a joke.  It’s just that you kind of put me on the spot earlier and I just said the first thing that popped in my head.”

Lissa glanced at him dubiously, unwilling to take his words at surface value.  “You don’t have to lie, Gaius.  Even I know it’s true.”

“No.  Okay, yeah.  It is true that you don’t behave like most bluebloods I’ve ever met.  But that’s why I like you.  It’s why everyone likes you.”

“I don’t understand.  What do you mean?”

He crossed his arms and looked up thoughtfully, taking the time to choose his words carefully.  “Well, you’re very approachable.  You treat everyone like an equal and you get to know them.  You don’t have a sense of entitlement because of your birthright.”

She snorted loudly.  “Big deal.  Chrom’s the same way.”

Gaius shook his head.  “Not as much as you might think.  No offense, Lissa, but he’s your brother.  Your view of him is a little biased.  He’s the same for the most part, but he forgets to count his blessings sometimes, so to speak.  And while he may treat everyone with respect and as an equal on the battlefield, he still lets his station hinder him from REALLY getting to know people.  Sure, he’ll put his neck out to defend and help others, but he doesn’t like to get his hands dirty with people’s internal problems.  I don’t think he means to, but he can be a bit self-serving sometimes.  I don’t know whether it’s to protect himself or just his reputation, but he’s pretty guarded overall.”

Lissa wasn’t sure if she should be comforted or offended by that revelation.  “Really?”  She felt like she should defend Chrom’s character, but Gaius was right in that her view of him was different than others.  “I never thought of him like that.”

The thief shrugged.  “No big deal.  Doesn’t bother me or anyone else, as far as I know.  Plus that’s true of a lot of nobles.  Maribelle and Sumia are the same way: concerned about appearances in some way, though it’s not always obvious and doesn’t manifest in the same way.  But anyway, you’re completely different.  You’re always out talking to others.  You’re willing to get down in the muck of people’s messed up lives and meet them where they’re at.  You don’t let your social station get in the way of making friends or helping wherever or however you can.  It’s refreshing, and almost addicting in a way.”  He grinned in an almost serious sort of way and took her hand.  “In that way, you’re exactly like Lady Emmeryn.”

She brightened up at those words.  “Honestly?”

“Yep.  She never shied away from the dirty work either.  If you really want to be like her, I’d say you’re well on your way.”

The young healer laughed and wiped away her tears.  “Oh, Gaius.  You have no idea how much that means to me to hear you say that.”

“Yeah, well, just don’t try _too_ hard to be like her.  She was great and all, but we don’t need a carbon copy.  You need to be true to yourself too.”

“Oh really?  And what exactly is that?” she mumbled, more to herself than to him.

Gaius chewed on the end of lollipop stick contemplatively.  “I always thought that Emmeryn was so serious.  Even when she smiled, she looked really sad.  I’m sure she had her reasons and you probably know more about that, but I just can’t go in for such a somber life.  I like that when you smile, it’s because you feel like it and because you’re genuinely happy, not because you think it’s what everyone expects of you.  You’re open and honest and warm and cute and…”

“You think I’m cute?” Lissa asked in surprise, blushing madly.

“What? Oh, um…” Obviously, he spoke without thinking too far ahead once again.  He scratched the back of his head and bit down on the stick.  “Yeah, well… you know, cute like… like how bonbons are cute.”

She blinked for a second, trying to decide how to take that.  Concluding that he probably meant it wholeheartedly, she giggled.  “Coming from you, that’s quite the compliment, Gaius.  I didn’t know you were such a charmer.”  She flirtatiously bat her eyelashes and leaned in towards him.

“Lissa?”  Gaius sat there unmoving, wide-eyed and flushed for a moment.  Eventually, he too started to bend towards her, but before he got too close, she smirked coyly and stood up.

“It’s getting late, doncha think?  Shouldn’t you get some sleep?”

Disappointment flashed in his eyes for a second, but he disguised it well.  “Yeah, guess you’re right.”

“I’ll walk you back to your tent, unless you want to sleep in here.” Lissa offered with a genuine and cheerful smile.

He sighed softly, but grinned back nonetheless.  “No thanks.  Let’s go.”

The twosome bid goodnight to a meditating Libra on their way out (the Valkyrie promised to return in a few minutes to help him clean up and take inventory) and walked in a comfortable silence towards the outlaw’s individual quarters.  A few people glanced their way with somewhat curious looks, but it was late enough that most of them were too preoccupied with their bedtime routines to greet them.

As they passed Chrom’s tent on their way, Gaius unexpectedly stopped and looked at it thoughtfully.

“Gaius?  Is something wrong?” Lissa asked when he didn’t move on.

He turned to face her and smirked mischievously.  “Nah.  But listen, I’m gonna stop in by Blue for a sec before I hit the hay.  You don’t have to wait for me.”

“You’re not going to ask him about… what I told you before are you?  I mean, he knows about it, but you promised to keep that a secret,” she worried.

“And I will.”  The Trickster nodded reassuringly.  “I’ll admit that I’ve done a lot of questionable things in my life, but one thing I’ve never done is break a promise.  I just had an idea for something that I need his help with, that’s all.  You’re gonna see us off tomorrow, right?”

“Yep.  I’m not normally a morning person, but I’ll make an exception for you.  And Maribelle of course.”

“Good.  I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Um, okay.  Sleep tight, Gaius.  Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”  Lissa skipped away merrily, enjoying the expression of terror on his face at the idea of insects in his bed.  It was a little known fact that he didn’t care for creepy crawlies of any kind, a trait the both of them shared, but she at least was working on overcoming that fear with the help of their newer mercenary, Gregor.

Libra noticed her improved mood when she returned and inquired about it in his calm, unobtrusive way.  She told him just enough to satisfy his curiosity and thanked him again for his helpful advice earlier.

After they were finished stowing away the extra staves, potions, and cots in the convoy, she retired to her own tent.  The princess made a mental note to find Olivia and apologize to her as well, but she pushed the thought aside for now.  She slept more soundly than she had that afternoon in the Healer’s Station, with Gaius’s tender words replying in her mind like a mantra.  

_“Open and honest and warm and cute; open and honest and warm and cute…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and Kudos appreciated!


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter... thanks for sticking with it!

Early the next morning, Lissa scrambled to get dressed, annoyed with herself for oversleeping and praying to Naga that Robin and the others hadn't left yet.  She tripped over a tome lying haphazardly at the entrance to her quarters and swore under her breath, glad that her brother was nowhere within earshot.  

She sprinted past soldiers who were busy breaking down tents and carrying supplies to the convoy, mumbling “good morning” and “excuse me” as she went.  Thankfully, everyone passing by cleared the way for her, both out of respect and a fear of being trampled.  It was one of the few times she was grateful for being treated like royalty.

As she was getting close to the back entrance of the encampment from which the unit was to depart, she saw a familiar mop of dark blue hair in the small crowd of soldiers headed in the same direction.  

“Chrom!  Have they left yet?”

Her elder brother looked over his shoulder at the sound of her voice and stopped to wait for her to catch up.  “Good morning, Lissa.  No, they haven’t left yet, but they will be in a few minutes.  Come on.”

The siblings, followed by the ever diligent Frederick, hurried on.  Lissa studied Chrom’s face from the side and noticed that he looked unusually tired.  “Hey, are you okay?  You don’t look so good.”

He yawned loudly and rubbed one of his eyes with a gloved hand.  Then he scowled, clearly cranky.  “Yeah, I’m fine.  But I was up late.  Gaius woke me out of nowhere just after I finally fell asleep.  For some weird reason, he wanted to look at the brand on my shoulder.  I think he even sketched it.  But he refused to tell me why.”  Suddenly, he halted as something occurred to him.  “I don’t look bad, do I?”  He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his clothes.

Lissa stifled a snort, remembering what Gaius said about Chrom’s secret affection for Robin and knowing that he wouldn't see her for at least two weeks, maybe more depending on the weather.  The same was true of her though, and rather than answer, she started checking herself over.  If the thief thought of her at all while he was gone, she didn't want to be pictured as the slob who just woke up.

“Milord?  We should hurry.  Robin and the others are waiting,” Frederick pressed them.

“Right.”  They resumed walking and found that the unit was just completing their last preparations.

Five thief and mage class warriors (plus one Taguel) were gathered around, stretching, yawning and chewing on a light breakfast.  Except for Panne, whose own fur was quite sufficient, all had been supplied with heavy but warm cloaks and long poncho style outerwear, courtesy of Flavia and Basilio, to protect them from the icy mountain air.  They had travel packs hoisted on their shoulders and were armed with as many weapons as they could bear.  

Chrom and Frederick approached Robin and began conversing in hushed voices.  Lissa intended to say goodbye to Maribelle first, but she was preoccupied with Donnel at the moment.  The princess smiled as she watched them, truly happy for her best friend and thinking that they made for an adorable couple.

“Yo, Lissa!”  Gaius waved her over from his position near the trees lining the path on which they would embark.  

She glanced over at her brother warily to make sure he wasn’t looking, since he was already annoyed with the Trickster, and jogged over.  “Hey there!  I almost didn’t make it up this morning!”

He grinned as he looked over her wrinkled clothes and messy hair.  “I can see that.”

Lissa tilted her head curiously.  “What’s up with you?  Did you stay up late or something?” she asked, taking in his blood-shot eyes and likewise disheveled appearance.  “And what the heck did you bother Chrom for last night?”

“It’s a surprise,” Gaius replied slyly.  He kneeled down and quickly pulled something out of the travel pack lying at his feet, taking care to hide whatever it was behind his back before she could see what it was.  “I stayed up almost all night working on it.  Now close your eyes and hold out both of your hands.”

The blonde quirked an eyebrow warily.  “What are you going to do?”

The criminal rolled his eyes at her apprehension.  “Just trust me, will you?  And hurry; Robin looks like she wants to leave soon.”

Lissa glared at him a second more, but eventually did as she was told.  She shut her eyes tightly and held out both of her hands, palms up, expecting him to place something in them.  

“No peeking!”

She flinched when she sensed him step closer and take one hand.  She felt him push up the sleeves of her Valkyrie uniform.  He then placed some kind of light, but warm cloth around her fingertips, and pulled it down past her palm and up a little past her elbow.  He adjusted the material around her knuckles, and repeated the process with her other hand.

“Done.  Take a look.”

Lissa opened her eyes to see the she was now wearing long, fingerless gloves that fit surprisingly well.  They were similar in style to the ones Gaius sometimes wore in his initial thief garb, but these were skillfully handmade, feminine, and much lighter in color.  They almost looked white, but when she moved her hands, the material seemed to change color: yellow to pale blue, pink to flesh tone.  

They were wonderfully made and beautiful, but she was a little confused at the odd choice of gifts.  It must have shown on her face, because Gaius laughed at her expression.

“Take a closer look at the inside of the forearms,” he instructed.

She rotated her arms inward and moved them closer to her face, squinting.  Stitched on the surface at the wrist with a very light blue thread was the Mark of the Exalt.  It was quite cleverly done, so that depending on the angle one looked, the mark could very well be resting on her skin and not on a glove.

“I know it’s not the same thing as a real birthmark, but it’s the best I could come up with.  Although considering I did it all in one night, I think it looks pretty good,” Gaius boasted with a smirk.  “In fact, I’d guess that if anyone just took a quick glance, they’d never know the difference.  As far as I’m concerned, you’re branded just the same as Blue over there.”

Lissa continued to stare at the exquisite marks, struck speechless as tears gathered in her eyes.  She’d been crying a lot the last few days, but these were of pure joy.  “Wow!  Gaius… I don’t know what to say.”  Without thinking, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  “Thank you.  Thank you so much!” she managed to choke out.

Clearly he wasn't quite expecting such a physical reaction, because he just stood there as stiff as a board.  When he didn't immediately move to embrace her, she let go and stepped back sheepishly.  “Sorry.”

“Uh, no problem.”  He was blushing like mad.

A loud whistle resounded in the crisp morning air.  “Time to go!  Shepherds, move out!”  Robin called, waving for the others to follow and heading in their direction.

“Be careful, yeah?” Lissa whispered.

“Don’t worry about me,” the Trickster replied.  He’d already recovered and was now sucking on some sort of hard candy.  “The others too.  Bubbles’ got us covered.”

She nodded.  “Okay.  See you soon!”

Gaius glanced around to make sure Chrom wasn't looking in their direction, but their leader was focused on Robin’s retreating figure, smiling and waving but with a conflicted look in his eyes.  

Taking the chance, he took Lissa’s hand.  “Hey, just so you know, I don’t care what anyone says.  Brand or no Brand, you’re still _my_ Princess.”  He knelt down on one knee and kissed her hand.  He was not a knight or a noble, but he was well aware of their customs and had seen this simple act done many times.

Her whole form turned cherry red and she said nothing.  When he released her hand and stood, she clasped it with the other, cradling it as though it had been injured.  

Gaius shouldered his pack and smirked.  “Later… Princess!”  He winked, gave a single quick wave, and then fell in step behind Miriel.  He threw an arm around Lon’qu teasingly as they walked.

“Later,” Lissa whispered to his fading form.

“Looks like someone’s in love!” someone whispered.  

Lissa squealed and jumped.  She whirled around to see Maribelle smiling coyly.  

“Farewell, dear.  Take care while I’m gone.  And do look after Donnel for me, won’t you?”  The duchess gave her friend a quick hug and followed after the others.

* * *

Lissa returned to her tent in a daze. Her face continued to glow a healthy shade of pink.  She sat down on her bed spread slowly and stared at the Marks on her gloved arms.

Maribelle was right all along.  She had fallen in love with Gaius.  It had been a long time coming, and in truth, she had known it for some time.  She was just so caught up in her own fear and doubt that she’d refused to acknowledge it fully.  But she could deny it no longer.  

And Gaius seemed to have no problem with her perceived shortcomings.  He was always reassuring or soothing her uncertainties and more than willing to patiently teach her new things.  He inspired her and he cared for her.  Thief or not, he was exactly what she wanted and needed.  Nothing else mattered.

Now that she was sure of her own heart, Lissa was ready to move forward.  But what to do?

_“Oh, Lissa… there’s really no need to make it so difficult.  You are the princess of the Ylisse.  You simply order him to marry you.”_

Well, Maribelle had been right about her feelings to begin with.  Perhaps she was right about the proposal process.

Lissa ran her fingers over the elaborate stitching on the Brand.  An idea popped in her head, and she grinned excitedly.  She jumped up and rummaged through her own travel chest, pulling out her needlework kit.  She hadn't reached the same level of skill as Gaius, but she would give it her all.  She’d work until her fingers bled if she had to.

After all, if she was going to propose, she might as well have some sort of homemade gift to help it along.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> To be continued...


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